Mark excused himself politely from his group of wealthy business associates near the bar.
He walked slowly along the decorated patio edges searching for his young daughter Chloe.
The lively music played softly through high quality speakers placed around the manicured lawn.
Guests were laughing happily while enjoying expensive drinks under the ambient patio lights.
Mark approached his mother in law Eleanor who was standing near the fruit display.
Mark: Eleanor have you seen where Chloe went during the party tonight?
Eleanor: She went inside the house because she was throwing a rude temper tantrum.
Mark: Chloe rarely throws tantrums especially during our big family gatherings at home.
Eleanor: Well she was behaving very spoiled around our high profile evening guests.
Mark frowned slightly because he knew his daughter had extremely polite daily manners.
He turned toward the grand back glass doors of his sprawling Texas ranch mansion.
He walked inside the quiet kitchen where two caterers were cleaning silver serving trays.
Mark: Did my daughter come inside to get something to eat earlier?
Caterer: No sir we were instructed not to serve food inside the main house.
Mark felt a strange wave of suspicion building up inside his chest very quickly.
He stepped back outside onto the brightly lit patio tiles near the lawn garden.
He walked past the long buffet tables searching every corner of the vast backyard.
Meanwhile near the garden fence Victoria was talking quietly with her older mother Eleanor.
Victoria: Did you make sure that brat stayed away from the main food tables?
Eleanor: Yes I made sure she understood her place in this house tonight.
Victoria: Good because Mark needs to focus entirely on my family's financial needs now.
Eleanor: That girl is just an annoying reminder of his former deceased wife anyway.
Victoria laughed softly behind her expensive silk fan while watching the main crowd dance.
They did not realize that one of the kitchen assistants was standing nearby holding trays.
The young assistant felt deeply disgusted by the cold cruelty of the two wealthy women.
She decided to help the sweet little girl who was hiding in the dark garden.
The assistant walked over to the buffet table and loaded a plate with fresh food.
She wrapped the ceramic plate carefully in a clean cloth napkin from the kitchen.
She slipped past the busy party guests and walked toward the shadowed back yard.
Chloe was still sitting on the cold stone bench crying softly to herself alone.
The friendly assistant approached the young girl with a gentle compassionate smile on her face.
Assistant: Here sweetie I brought you some warm dinner from the kitchen tables.
Chloe: Thank you so much but my stepmother said I am not allowed food.
Assistant: Do not worry little one your father owns this beautiful Texas house.
Chloe took the plate with trembling hands because her stomach was hurting from hunger.
She stood up from the stone bench to walk back toward the lighted patio area.
She wanted to show her father that someone had finally brought her a meal.
However Eleanor was walking near the side walkway checking on the catering staff workers.
She spotted Chloe holding the loaded white ceramic plate near the side garden fence.
Eleanor's eyes narrowed with sudden intense anger as she marched toward the helpless child.
Eleanor: Who told you that you could take food from those expensive catering trays?
Chloe: A nice lady gave it to me because I was feeling so hungry.
Eleanor reached out her hand aggressively to snatch the heavy plate away from Chloe.
The young girl pulled back in sharp fear trying to protect her only dinner meal.
The fragile white ceramic plate slipped out of their hands during the harsh struggle.